Home sales in the Florence area in the second and third quarters of this year have risen to levels not seen since before 2006.

Tawfik Ahdab, a real estate market analyst with Pacific Valuation Group in Florence said there were 207 sales recorded in the 2nd and 3rd quarters of this year. That’s up from 166 last year in the same time period; 134 the year before.

According to information from the Multiple Listing Service the previous high for the 2nd and 3rd quarters was April through September of 2005 when 246 home sales were recorded.

Ahdab pointed to the number of pending sales as of September 30th as an indicator that fourth quarter sales are likely to be down slightly. But, with 274 sales in the 273 days of the first three-quarters of this year that would put annualized sales numbers at 367; an 18% increase over last year.

Despite the increase in numbers, prices are holding relatively static with the median sale price at $163-thousand.

Ahdab said the residential market is continuing to strengthen and he expects average prices to begin rising eventually.

Gas Prices Dive

The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline fell by nine cents in Florence this past week. Most of that change came because two of the traditionally higher priced retail stations in Florence closed. Drivers in Florence may have fewer choices for fuel… five as opposed to seven stations… but are paying on average $3.40 a gallon. That’s a nickel higher than the national average price as measured by Triple-A… and a full 20-cents a gallon below the Oregon average price of $3.60 a gallon.

Pertussis Restrictions Eased

A decline in the number of confirmed cases of Pertussis… also known as Whooping Cough… has meant an easing of visitor restrictions at hospitals in Lane County.

PeaceHealth spokesperson Anne Williams said visitors under the age of 13 will now be allowed to visit the Neonatal Intensive Care unit at River Bend; and parents with children under the age of one…who are at the greatest risk of exposure to pertussis… will be allowed to bring them when visiting any of the four PeaceHealth medical centers in Lane County, including Peace Harbor Hospital.

Williams said with the cold and flu season beginning it’s still a good idea for anyone with symptoms of either illness to wear a mask when visiting. She also said if there is another spike in the number of pertussis cases, precautionary measures may be implemented once again.

Amber Alert Not Affected by Shutdown

Despite some accounts on mainstream and social media last week, the AMBER Alert System is alive and well despite the federal government shutdown.

Monday, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent out a reminder that the AMBER alert program will continue to provide support to local agencies that operate the system that is intended to help spread the word quickly in the event of an abducted child.

Oregon implemented a statewide plan 11 years ago. It’s based on a voluntary partnership between law enforcement agencies and local broadcasters. Since 2002 there have been 20 activations in the state helping to safely recover 22 children.

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Athletes of the Year

Joseph Dotson and Mikaela Siegel

Two State Champion hurdlers are Coast Radio Sports’ Athletes of the year: senior Joseph Dotson and junior Mikaela Siegel; both from Siuslaw High School.

Dotson was a standout football and basketball player for the Vikings. He also competed at this year’s Summit Decathlon in Bend where he finished in fourth place with 6034 points. Dotson claimed the state championship in the 300-meter hurdles at the 4A meet two weeks ago.

Siegel was also a multi-sport athlete for Siuslaw. She finished fourth individually at the Far West District Cross County Meet in the fall; was named to the Far West League All-Defensive Team for basketball; finished fifth at the Summit Heptathlon; and won the state 4A championship in the 100 meter hurdles.

Viking Sports Talk

Coast Radio’s Our Town

Our Town is crossing over! Coast Radio's Our Town, the monthly public affairs program about things happening in and around our town, will now be reaired on KCFM every month.

You can still tune in to KCST, 106.9 FM on the first Wednesday of each month to listen to Our Town, but if you miss it, you can tune in the next morning at 10:00 AM on KCFM to hear the program in its entirety.

If you still missed it, or you just want to hear it again, come back to KCFM on the following Sunday at 10:00 for one more airing.

The July 1st edition of Our Town featured conversations with the founders of the Oregon Coast Military Museum. After a seven year effort, the grand opening of the facility is set for the afternoon of July 4th. Tim Sapp, Wayne Sharpe, Call Applebee and Sue Gilday have all been instrumental in the formation of the museum.

A legislative recap is on the list of topics as well. Host Bob Sneddon will talk with Oregon Representative Caddy McKeown and State Senator Arnie Roblan about the current legislative session that is winding down.

Also in the studio will be Carol Slaugh and Joy McCourt. Slaugh is the founder of "Minutes of Gold", a non-profit effort to make layettes for stillborn babies. Slaugh started the effort in 1992 when she heard the heartbreaking stories of parents and grandparents of stillborns. McCourt, an avid crafter crochets, sews and presses hundreds of the gifts each year. There are dozens of volunteers that supply the needs of 187 hospitals in the United States, including all of them in Oregon.

Florence's "volunteer dynamo" Kaylee Graham will also be on the program to talk about preparations for the fourth annual Power of FlOreNcE. Coming up July 18th, it's a day where Graham hopes as many people as possible will get out and do something for someone else.

Coast Radio's Our Town can also be heard right here on kcst.com. If you missed it on the air, you can always come back and hear it here.

Our Town is sponsored on KCST by the Archives, Photo Restoration Specialist; Holloway and Associates CPAs; Andy Baber/Edward Jones Investments; Siuslaw Public Library , Lane Community College and PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical Center.

It airs on KCST, 106.9 FM the first Wednesday of every month from 4 to 6 pm; then again the next morning from ten to noon on KCFM AM1250/FM 104.1/FM 103.1.